EXCLUSIVE: New York-based festival veteran Laurence Asseraf is launching the invite-only BE FILM International Features Festival as a platform to enable global films to find US distribution.

This year’s inaugural event runs from October 24-26 in New York and will feature global films with a focus on Argentina.

“What we are trying to accomplish here, is bring home, in an intimate, relaxed, but highly professional setting certain foreign films that might have escaped the eyes of US distributors while on their tour to all major festivals abroad,” said Asseraf (pictured).

“I knew Argentina very well since I lived there as a child,” said the French industry veteran, who also founded BE Film The Underground Film Festival. “Their cinema is very European and speaks to the world.”

The Argentinian Consulate will sponsor the opening night reception.

The line-up of screenings includes:

Muerte En Buenos Aires (Argentina) – Natalia Meta’s 1980s set mystery-drama in Buenos Aires starring Monica Antonopulos, Hugo Arana, Demian Bichir and Chino Darin.

Vino Para Robar (To Fool A Thief) (Argentina) – Heist caper from Ariel Winograd starring Daniel Hendler, Valeria Bertuccelli and Pablo Rago.

Pensé Que Iba A Haber Fiesta (Argentina) – Victoria Galardi’s drama about an affair starring Valeria Bertuccelli and Elena Anaya.

Choele (Argentina) – Student film by Juan Sasiain about a young boy who falls in love with his father’s girlfriend.

Cosano: La Vida Secreta De Un Vestido (Argentina) – documentary by Diego and Pablo Levy about Buenos Aires fashion designer Claudio Cosano.

The Rise Of Hope (Argentina) – Brian Maya’s documentary about dedicated to Pope Francis, who was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires.

Les Rayures Du Zebre (Scouting For Zebras) (Belgium-Switzerland-France) – Comedy/drama from Benoit Mariage about a football coach who finds a young talent in Africa. Stars Benoit Poelvoorde.

Oro Verde (Switzerland- Italy) – Student film by Mohammed Soudani about an unemployed engineer who plans to steal a huge stash of marijuana confiscated by the police.

Sto Spiti (At Home) (Greece, pictured) – Athanasios Karanikolas’ drama won the Prize of the Ecunemnical Jury in Berlin earlier this year and tells of a housekeeper who learns she has a serious illness just when she loses her job.

Travelling In (To) Fluxus (Italy) – Irene Di Maggio’s documentary about the avant-garde movement Fluxus.

BE FILM International Features Festival sponsors include Thierry Mugler, Champage Taittinger, Les Sucreries de Melodie Pravda Vodka and Guittard Chocolates.

For further information about the festival click here.

Topics